Post Battle Moments: the Missing Years
by Rionabelle
Summary: After the battle and everything they have been through, how does the gang cope and move on? What happens in between the end of Deathly Hallows and the Epilogue? String of One-shots. Not connected but sequental. Mostly Fluff. T. 8*5/16/2014 - STAY TUNED! REBOOT IS COMING**
1. In Which They Reunite

Walking down the deserted hallways with his best friends by his side, Harry knew he was only going to make it so far before he collapsed, too tired to do anything. But Ron and Hermione had other ideas.

As Harry turned to head toward Gryffindor Tower they stopped him. "Where are you going?" Hermione asked.

"I'm going to take a nap. And not wake up for two days," he told them plainly.

"Come on mate. Everyone's going to want to see you. You killed V-Voldemort. Not to mention Mum is crazy and won't rest until she sees all of us and is certain we are alright."

Groaning, Harry reluctantly followed them to the Grand hall. He knew that Ron was right. Mrs. Weasley has always been wonderful to Harry and Hermione, accepting them into her family immediately, and he knew that she would be worried. But there was no doubt that she was crazy. He just didn't want to deal with all the other admirers vying for his attention.

And he was right in worrying. The second that Harry stepped into the large room he was bombarded with people. People wanting to hug him, touch him, thank him. Ron and Hermione were no help, immediately ducking out and heading over to the Weasley's and their other friends who survived.

Slowly and grudgingly, Harry worked through the crowd. He was pulled off course sometimes, but he tried to steer towards the group of redheads. Finally he made it to the other side of the gaggle of people and had some space to breath.

He saw his friends – his family – standing a ways off. They were all talking in a semicircle, sharing their stories, helping each other in their grief. He stood for a moment and watched them, not wanting to interrupt their moment together.

Finally he was noticed by the one he was watching the most – Ginny. When their eyes met, a large smile pulled across her face. Once he reciprocated her smile, she pulled away from her mother. Harry noticed that they were asking her where she was going, but she ignored them. She was staring squarely at him.

After taking three steps away from everyone, Ginny was running. Her face was just as fierce as the first time Harry kissed her after winning the Quidditch Cup.

Harry took a few steps forward so that when he pulled her into him, he could pick her up and spin her around without hitting the people behind him. All thoughts of retreating to the Tower and sleep were lost for the moment. Harry was just happy to have Ginny in his arms again; to hold her without worrying about the danger he was putting her in.

Harry was enjoying the smell of her hair when he went to put her back on the ground. But apparently Ginny wasn't having that. When she sensed he was putting her down, she pulled herself up and snaked her legs around his waist. Harry smiled, pulling her closer, trying to look her in the face.

He only got to stare at her beautiful brown eyes for a second before her lips were crashing down on his. He remembered the last time they kissed similarly to this was when Ron and Hermione barged in on them. Now they were only in front of Ron, Hermione, Ginny's _whole _family, and most of the school including Professors.

When they broke apart, breathing heavily, they rested their foreheads against each other's, ignoring their classmates' applause. Harry looked at her girlfriend, ignoring the blood on her shirt and the grime on her face. He watched the lights dance in her eyes, "Hi."

She laughed breathlessly at his candidness, speaking as if nothing else mattered, replying "Hi."

Harry watched Ginny's eyes tear up. As the first one threatened to fall over the rim, she wrapped her arms around his neck in a death grip, burrowing her face into his neck. He gripped her to him, looking over her shoulder.

"I missed you Harry," Ginny whispered against his skin. Pulling her closer still – if that were even possible – he buried his face in her long red hair.

"I missed you too," he whispered in her ear, trying not to chuckle at the lingering image of his future in-laws gapping mouths.


	2. In Which He Sees His Future

**OK so I wrote one and they didn't stop coming. But I don't really mind. They are fun to write. I really won't be updating this regularly or contantly. Just when I get an idea. Which happens alot, suprisingly, so ya'll may be in luck. **

**Follows "In Which They Reunite" after the final battle, is later that afternoon or that evening. **

**Disclaimer: No matter how much I try to pretend or dress up, I'm not J.K. Rowling. So I just play with her characters. **

**P.S. Thanks to 91698padfoot for pointing out Neville's name! I was to lazy to go dig out my HP books to look it up.**

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><p>The remaining members of the Order of the Phoenix – namely Kingsley –, the Weasleys, Luna, Nevel, Hermione and Harry had ultimately taken over the Gryffindor common room. It was a lot of people to fit in there, but it gave them the seclusion they needed from the on-going party in the Great Hall. Someone figured out how to change the portrait's password, keeping others out for the moment. Harry figured it was George because the password was now "Drop Dead Moldy Wart" but he couldn't be certain.<p>

The common room looked basically the same as it had, giving Harry a great sense that things would slowly got back to normal. When they had first arrived, they had found one of the arm chairs and a table overturned, old homework scattered across the room, probably disturbed in the hurried evacuation. Charlie and Bill had righted that quickly, while Hermione and Mrs. Weasley created a type of buffet off to the side. Everyone arranged themselves around the room and they sat in grief stricken silence or exhaustion for a while.

However now, Harry was listening idly as Hermione was asking if it might be a good idea to go fetch her parents from Australia and bring them here or to wait. He didn't really hear her reasoning or Kinsley's reply because he was watching Ginny.

Tonk's mother, Andromeda, had come to Hogwarts after hearing the news of Voldemort's defeat and Tonk's and Lupin's death. Unfortunately, Andromeda had lost her husband, daughter and son-in-law in basically one felt swoop and now has a baby to take care of. So it was no wonder when everyone agreed immediately to her requesting if they wouldn't mind watching over him and caring for him for a few days, while she took sometime to heal. Harry figured it was the least he could do as Teddy's godfather.

But currently Ginny was the one holding the child. She was standing near the fireplace in the fire's warmth, causing her skin to glow and her hair to appear brighter than normal. Teddy was carefully wrapped up in her arms, giggling at something she had done. Harry was amazed at the ease in which she interacted with the baby. He had held Teddy for a short while, and he was at a complete loss at what to do.

A sudden thought flitted through his mind, _She's going to be a great mother someday_, taking him back to his last birthday, when he and Ginny be caught by Ron. When Ron was berating him, Harry had conjured up an image of Ginny's possible future – getting married, having children, living happily – and it had made him angry. At the time, he chalked it up to the fact that she _had_ a future, whereas he couldn't see one for himself, other than Voldemort. Only now has he realized that it had made him angry because it was the idea of Ginny having a future without him.

Now understanding that fact, a new image wove itself through Harry's mind in an instant. He saw himself standing at the end of the isle with Ginny, him holding a small ginger with brown eyes, and never having to leave Ginny's side again.

As Harry watched Ginny slowly rock a dozing Teddy, he understood what Ginny meant to him, completely and wholly. He was slightly ashamed that it took him this long, but he had never really had love before meeting the Weasleys and dating Ginny.

Now that everything that had been ahead of him, forced upon him to do, was completed and gone, he had no idea what was in store for his future. But one thing he knew for certain was that he wanted Ginny to be a part of it – every part of it.

He was pulled out of thoughts when Luna inquired loudly about all the classes that she had missed while being held captive. This launched Hermione into a fervent speech about returning to school to complete their Seventh Year. This also made Harry come to another, slightly more humorous, realization.

Ginny turned to listen to Hermione, cradling the small, now violet haired, sleeping baby close to her chest. But soon she heard a faint deep sound that she has not heard in a long time and had missed a great deal. She turned her head and found Harry reclining on the couch, chuckling softly to himself.

Smiling, happy to see him laughing again, Ginny carefully and quietly walked over her wonderful boyfriend. When she came to stand beside him, she could see he was thinking deeply about something, and he hadn't notice her walk up. She had to bump his legs – which were propped up in the table in front of him and blocking her way – with her knees, "Hey you."

Slightly startled and still smiling widely, he looked up, "Oh hey." He retracted his legs and Ginny walked past, sitting beside him. Crossing his legs on the table again, he wrapped his arm around the magnificent witch that was leaning against him now. He glanced down at his godson and saw the peaceful look on his face.

"He asleep?"

"Yeah," Ginny shifted the sleeping babe slightly so she could see his face more fully. She had always loved babies, but this was a little different. She didn't just love the baby, she felt like she had connected to Teddy. Maybe it was the stark similarity of his early childhood to that of the one person that she loved more than anything.

After contemplating this, Ginny glanced up at Harry, who was watching her. "What was so funny earlier?" She asked remembering why she had come over here.

Harry's smile widened slightly, a small chuckle escaping his lips, "Nothing."

Ginny cocked her head slightly, giving him only a _slightly_ threatening look, "Don't lie to me, Harry Potter."

Laughing freely now, Harry looked away from her, turning his attention to the scene that was ensuing between Ron and Hermione. Offhandedly, Harry told her, "I'll tell you about it sometime."

Ginny thought about pressing, but suddenly it didn't seem important. She was spending the evening next to him again, watching the amusement that was their family, with the prospects of many more nights like this. She couldn't be happier.

Harry felt Ginny snuggle deeper into him as they listened to Ron protest at Hermione's suggestion of returning to school. This brought his mother into the conversation, explaining the importance of an education and that he _**will**_ be going back.

This whole scene only reinforced what Harry realized before Ginny came over. _I will have to wait until Ginny gets out of school._ And as he snaked his other arm around her waist, pulling her closer, he didn't really mind.


	3. In Which They Get a Good Night's Sleep

***Sigh* I feel bad for Harry sometimes. Okay alot of the times. But it seems to work out in the end right? **  
><strong>I liked this because I got to show just little bit of how kickss I think Ginny is. But anywho, here it is. <strong>

**And thanks to those how have reviewed, AMessofPickles, ninamartion19, Venetiangrl92, Eros Amor Black, and 91698padfoot. **

**This is after "In Which He Sees His Future". **

**Disclaimer: Last I check I'm still not J.K. Rowling. But I'm having a DNA test done to be sure. I'll let you know how that goes. **

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><p>Harry lay sprawled out on the couch. He fit just barely, his feet meeting the side with his head up on the opposite arm. He had no idea what time it was but he knew it was late. Well, early.<p>

He was in the commons in Gryffindor Tower, staring up at the dark ceiling. Despite the number of people currently residing in the Gryffindor Dormitories, everyone had a bed to sleep in, so that was not why Harry found himself on a lumpy old couch in the wee hours of the morning.

In fact, much to Harry's dismay and disbelief… He couldn't go to sleep. It was severely frustrating, seeing as Harry barely had the energy to drag himself down here so that his restlessness would not disturb his equally sleep-deprived, but luckier, companions. But no matter how long he laid in his bed, sleep just would not come.

Harry leaned his head back, hanging over the chair slightly, and groaned, loud and openly. He felt the least bit better having let out some of his frustration. It wasn't until he heard a soothing voice break the silence, did his mood improve significantly.

"Why did I have a feeling I would find you down here?"

Harry turned his head towards the stairwells leading up to the dormitories and saw a true vision of beauty standing there. Ginny was leaning against the stone wall in a camisole and jeans. Harry smiled at her and asked, "What are you doing up?"

She stayed where she was, watching him for a moment. Then, sighing, she pushed away from the wall and walked towards him, "I could ask you the same thing. I'm sure you need the rest more that I do."

Harry listened as her bare feet hit the stone floor quietly, registering the change when she got to the rug. She stopped next to him. Wrapping her arms around herself, Ginny looked down at him, waiting for him.

Sighing, he told her, "I couldn't sleep," seeing her eyebrow raise, he acknowledged her, "I know right. My thoughts exactly. I haven't had a good night's sleep in probably three months…."

He pulled his eyes away from her to stare at the ceiling again. They sat in silence for a moment, before Ginny commented, "Well, you shouldn't be alone, so…"

Easily and comfortably, she came and lay beside Harry on the couch. Not quite understanding _why_ she was doing it, Harry knew _what_ she was doing. So when she was settled, he wrapped one of his arms around her waist, resting his hand on her stomach. Ginny laid one of her hands on Harry's and took his other hand in hers.

For an hour or so, they spoke quietly and sweetly. Of what, they would not remember in the morning. But it was what Harry and Ginny needed to be able to sleep. Soon Harry realized that they had stopped talking and he was having difficulty keeping his eyes open. He felt Ginny's breathing deepen and steady, knowing somewhere in the back of his fuddled mind that meant she was asleep.

Ready to drop off himself, he felt her jerk suddenly. His eyes flew open and he turned to watch her. She was still sleeping, but she was frowning slightly. She muttered something. Harry could have sworn that his name was mixed in there somewhere. But before he could try to discern more of what she said, Ginny was turning into him, covering half his body with hers. Her hand which had been resting on his had moved, running over his stomach, stretching and resting now on his chest. Ginny sigh contently now that her head was resting on his chest and Harry could help but feel elated that she wanted to be this close to him after all he put her through. It was as if nothing had changed, he had never left.

And this is how they were found in the morning when the Weasley's were descending the stairs, heading off to breakfast or maybe now it was lunch. Of course when they were discovered sleeping in each other's arms, Ron was at the head of the group.

"_**OI!#%^$!" **_Ron yelled into the previously silent common room. Harry's eyes flashed open. A wayward thought passed through his mind, wondering if they missed a Horcrux. Ginny, however, was more reasonable in her response.

Sleepily and not removing her head from Harry's chest, she reached for her back pocket, where she had taken to storing her wand like Harry. Pulling it out and with a simple flick of her wrist, she sent a spell at Ron that even Hermione and Bill were unaware of its total affects. In the moment that it hit Ron, it threw him back, took away his speech and turned his hair, t-shirt, and fingers purple.

Unwilling to put forth the effort to put it away, Ginny dropped her wand on the floor, sliding her hand under Harry's shoulder. As she turned her head to face Harry, she sighed as if she were still simply sleeping. Chuckling slightly, Harry pressed his lips to her forehead, wondering if it was possible for him to this gorgeous witch anymore that he already did. Harry heard the others tending to Ron and chose to take those last few moments of blissful sleep.

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><p><strong>Please Review and feel free to leave suggestions. If I choose yours, I will credit you.<strong>


	4. In Which Ginny Found Out

**Hey I'm back! Well, I never left but just didn't have ideas or time or, or, or, or. But now I do! I have another one shot I'm hoping to have out soon and another whole HP fic I'm working on, on the side. That one probably won't come out ANY time soon, so... Don't look for it. :D **

**BUT! The other one-shot is nearly all written! Just it's in a notebook. Poo... I hate having to type things from notebooks... Anyone want to do it for me? No... *pouts* Fine... **

**This is after 'In Which They Get a Good Night's Sleep'**

**Disclaimer: *waves manila envelop in your face* I HAVE THE DNA RESULTS! HAHA! I'LL SHOW YOU ALL! *rips it open and reads the papers, laughing manically* SEE, SEE! I- Oh... Aw... I'm not J.K. Rowling... *sobs in corner***

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><p>It had been about a week and a half since the final battle and all of the survivors had gone home. Harry, Hermione and all of the Weasley's (including, Percy, Charlie, and Bill and Fleur) has gone back to the Burrow, spending time together after being apart for so long.<p>

It was nice, for Ron, Hermione, and Harry, to, for one, have the company of people besides than each other, but also to have quality meals and beds. They were able to deal with their extreme grief, anxiety and stress from the past year with the help their family.

A downside for Harry was that it was pretty much all group family time. He hadn't really had very much alone time with Ginny in order to talk. They had been able to share basic stories, the fundamental plot lines of their past years, but they both had questions.

So they decided, with the planning for the funerals completed – which would be taking place the next day – to sneak away before anyone woke up and spend as much of the day they could steal together. Harry was rather surprised when Ginny volunteered to wake up at dawn – he knew she valued her sleep nearly as much as Ron.

Then next morning, they were quick and silent with their departure. They knew that they would not be allowed to remain absent all day, so they left a note saying that they would be back around lunch – maybe.

The young couple made their way to the farthest edge of the Burrow property, where they just began to walk about aimlessly. Harry knew that Ginny would want to know everything that he had done – what rumors were true and what weren't. And like wise, he wanted to know everything she had to endure at Hogwarts. And so they both recounted their stories. Harry asked Ginny to go first, he knew his version was far more complex and would take longer to explain. So he learned of what happen to the party goers at the wedding, the drastic changes to his first home, the revival of Dumbledore's Army, Luna's capture, and the Weasley's flight. While he wished that she wouldn't have placed herself in the Carrow's wrath, Harry was proud of Ginny standing up and fighting against the blatant injustice that took hold of Hogwarts.

Then Harry started his tale. He told Ginny all about Horcruxes and Dumbledore's final mission. He told her about living at Grimmauld Place and learning about the locket. She was awed at their attack on the Ministry, shocked – but not surprised – that that rumor was true. He went onto tell her about their prolonged time in various woods around England. Ginny comforts him when she learns of his time in Godric's Hollow and seeing his parent's graves. And Harry continues to regale her of his stressful journey up to the point of escaping Malfoy's Manor without interruption.

During his whole tale, Harry was careful to skip over the fact that Ron left after the infiltration of the Ministry. Not because he purposefully didn't want to tell her everything, but he knew it would upset her and it didn't really bother Harry anymore. But intentions are only as well as those who kept them.

They were coming up on the lunch hours and had pretty much unspokenly decided that they weren't going back. About an hour before, they stopped at the pond in the back of the property and were currently skipping rocks on the water's surface. It was then that Harry slipped up in his explanation of their escape from Malfoy's.

"Well, Dobby showed up and took Luna and Olivander to Shell Cottage. Ron and I went upstairs and got Hermione and the Goblin. After a short battle, Dobby came back and we followed the others to Bill and Fleur's," Harry explained as he threw a rock.

Ginny was sitting on a large bolder when she asked a question, "How'd you know about Shell Cottage? They had bought it a few months after you left."

Harry bent over looking for a good stone when he careless replied, "Oh, Ron went there when he left."

Immediately, Harry realized his mistake and stiffened momentarily. Then he relaxed and tried to act like nothing was wrong, hoping she wouldn't notice and it would slide right on past. But of course, she picked up on it immediately.

"What do you mean 'Left'? … Harry?"

Deciding to give it up, Harry straightened up, closing his eyes and sighing, "Gin…"

Meanwhile at the Burrow…

"I don't think it's a good idea that they have disappeared, _alone,_ for most of the day," Percy stated while the whole Weasley clan was gathered in the kitchen/dining room.

Bill, leaning against a wall – looking at the note for a fifth time – said, "I have to agree with Perce –"

"Wow, that's unfortunate," George offered, in a rare moment of teasing wit since his twin's death.

"– I don't think Ginny should be alone with her boyfriend with the euphoria of 'We survived' still hanging around."

Hermione, who was sitting at the table reading the re-staffed _Daily Profit_, just shook her head, "Honestly, you boys are as bad as Ronald. It's Harry, not just some boy."

"Hermione, you can't blame us for being protective of our little sister," Charlie said across from her.

"Still, this is ridiculous. Out of everyone, you should trust Harry the most. And about that 'the euphoria of "We survived"' nonsense you were talking about, if anyone were to take advantage of that, it should be those two. Merlin knows they deserve it…" Hermione said resigned, picking up her paper.

That statement was enough to leave all the Weasley men sputtering.

"I agree with Hermione – err, mostly. Things have been fairly crazy since the battle and they had been forced to spend nearly a year apart. I'm sure they have plenty to discuss," Mrs. Weasley said, bringing in a pot of tea and serving it to everyone.

"Oui, I theenk it iz 'ery sweet," Fleur said, taking a sip of her tea.

"Also their note said they might be back around lunch and it's almost noon now. If you find it necessary, you can talk to Harry then. _Talk_ to him, not intimidate," Mrs. Weasley said firmly, looking at her sons and husband.

Mr. Weasley seemed to finally recover from Hermione's statement, "They had better be back by then or we'll –"

"RONALD BILLIUS WEASLEY!"

Everyone jumped at the fury that sounded from the yard.

Before anyone could move to investigate the disturbance, a vision of pure terror and fury appeared in the back doorway – in the form of an irate Ginevra Weasley with her wand drawn.

"You…" she ground out in a very strained and a poorly controlled voice.

"Ginny! What is the matter!" Mrs. Weasley exclaimed. She has never seen her daughter in this state before.

But she didn't pay her mother any mind. Oh no. She was quite determined. She only raised her wand – directed at her next eldest brother's face – and slowly walked into the room. As she approached the table, a great number of items around the room began to shake.

"You right foul, spineless git!"

"Ginevra Weasley! You put away that wand right now!" her father shouted as a glass container exploded behind him.

All the while, Ron slowly backed away from his younger sister, hands raised and shaking, "G-Ginny… Wh-what's wrong? Wh-wh-what'd I do?"

"WHAT DID YOU DO! WHAT DID YOU DO?" she screeched louder than a banshee, "YOU LEFT THEM!"

At this point Harry caught up with his girlfriend and entered the house. He would have sworn that even his best mate's hair paled.

"Ginny… I – No, you don't – It was a mistake. I –" Ron simpered and pleaded as she still advanced and he hit a wall.

"A mistake! _Really?_ You think?" At this point something else shattered and Harry thought it was high time he intervened and tried to curt tail this disaster.

He strode forward and grasped her wand, pulling her around to face him.

"Harry! Let go. Of. My. Wand!" Ginny said through gritted teeth, trying to struggle away.

"No, Ginny, listen to me," Harry said while trying to avoid some more glass shrapnel, "Stop it. Gin, drop it."

Finally, he got her wand way from her and she huffed, "Oh, what you're going to treat me like a dog now?"

Panting slightly – Harry forgot how strong she was – he nodded, "If I have to."

"Whatever. Now give me my wand."

"How about you calm down first and then I'll think about?"

"Dammit, Harry," Ginny lunged forward to grab the thin piece of wood, but Harry dodged her and pulled the old wooden chair Ron had vacated between them.

As Ginny tripped over the chair and steadied herself against the table, glaring at her boyfriend, Charles tried to get an understanding of the situation.

"Okay, what the hell?"

"Charles, language."

"Mum."

Ginny took the moment to look away from Harry to her mother and tried to speak, but Harry beat her to the punch.

"It's nothing, really –"

"It's not nothing!"

"Ginny…"

"You just forgive way too easily, Harry."

"How is that a bad thing?"

"Oi!" George yelled, startling everyone, "If you two could put the lover's" – all other Weasley males shiver – "on pause for a second and tell us what's going on, that would be greatly appreciated.

"That" Ginny pointed at her still very pale brother, "left Harry and Hermione a bit before Christmas. Just quit."

"RONALD WEASLEY!" Mrs. Weasley was also furious now – but she still had nothing on Ginny.

"But some of us here already knew that, didn't we, Bill?" Ginny now turned on her oldest and favorite brother, like he was in some way instrumental in this.

And he was instantly terrified, "What did I do?"

"Hang on, guys," Harry said, trying to wrangle the wide range of emotions back in, "This is not something to freak out about. He came back – saved my life even – help at Gringotts, and was there at the Final Battle."

"Yes, it's really fine. All in the past," Hermione said. Ron immediately looked a thousand times better, shooting Hermione a grateful and relieved look. It was the first time she had actually said that she had forgiven him.

"Yes. So if Hermione, Ron and I have put it behind us, there is no reason for you guys to get all worked up over this," Harry said with strength and conviction that an accomplished grown man should have, not a batter, but accomplished 17-year-old.

Ginny still looked slightly put out – Ron is probably going to have to make sure he's only in the same room with her if Harry's there for a while – and Mrs. Weasley was still slightly pink, but all in all everyone listened and did as Harry asked.

"I don't know about the rest of you," George said after a moment of tense silence, "But Harry has my confidence. If he was ready to wrestle Gin-Gin's wand away from her when she was that mad, he clearly has no issue taking his life into his own hands."


	5. In Which Harry Has Doubts

**Yay! I typed it up, kinda in good time. With Harry's upbringing, he's bound to have doubts... :/**

**This is way in the future(compared to my other one shots). Baby James has just become known! Yay!**

**Warning: T for implications**

**Disclaimer: I'm an A/A+ student... Can't my reward just be to be J.K. Rowling? What do you mean it doesn't work like that?**

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><p>Harry looked at the clock and sighed for the umpteenth time that hour alone. He was never going to get to sleep that night. There was just too much on his mind.<p>

That afternoon Ginny told him that she was pregnant. He could only remember being _that_ happy twice before – when Gin agreed to marry him and the actual wedding day/night. They had gone out for dinner to celebrate and then came home to… keep celebrating. But now, in the wee hours of the morning, Harry was starting to worry.

Don't get him wrong, he was still incandescently happy and already loved his unborn child unconditionally, but that still didn't sway his fears.

He looked over at his sleeping wife, watching the moonlight spill over her as she slept. For the seventh time that night he reached out to wake her, only to pull back his hand. As much as he wanted to wake her and have her soothe his frazzled nerves, he knew it wouldn't be fair to wake her, not to mention he was ashamed.

So, he decided to get something to drink. But as he turned to sit up, he heard Ginny shift and speak.

"Harry?"

"Yeah, love. I'm just going to get some water."

She was waking up more now, turning to look at him, "Hmmmm…. Is everything okay? Are you alright?"

Harry could hear her concern and knew what she was thinking about. His nightmares about his youth were much, _much_ less frequent now – happening once every few months, _maybe_ – but they were still unsettling.

He chuckled slightly, touched by his wife's love and concern for his well-being, "Yes, I'm fine. Just thirsty."

Harry leaned in to give her a small kiss but as he pulled back Ginny caught his arm. As he had moved into the moonlight more fully, she could make out the bags of a sleepless night clearly.

"Harry! Have you gotten any sleep?"

He grinned at her, trying to joke it off, "I slept with you. Does that count?"

The look she gave him let it known that the joke wasn't appreciated, "Very funny. I'm serious, Harry, what's wrong?" When he grinned even cheekier, she cut him off, "And if you make a 'Serious/Sirius' joke, I swear I will slap you."

He sobered at that, but managed a grim smile, "It's nothing. Just go back to sleep."

"Don't lie to me Potter," she said firmly, softening as she saw the worry settle into her husband's eyes, "Harry… Talk to me…"

He sighed and settled back onto the bed. Ginny followed him down, lying on her side so she could see his face. As he began to speak he avoided her eyes.

"It's just…" he sighed deeply but continued, "I'm just worried."

She smiled, _That's all? When does Harry not worry about every little thing? _She placed a hand on his forearm and started to rub it comfortingly, "About the baby?"

Another sigh, "Yes… and no." He was silent for a long time until Ginny gently squeezed his arm, urging him to continue. But when he did, he looked as far away from Ginny as he could, barely breathing his next words.

"I'm not going to be a good father."

…

…

…

"What?" This was not was Ginny expected. Not something this big. Not something so incredibly false that Harry seemed to dead set on.

"Why on earth do you think that?" Ginny asked, incredulous as she propped up on her elbow trying to catch Harry's eyes.

"I don't – I don't know how…"

Another fear-filled whispered confession but one Ginny thought she could deal with.

"Oh Harry… Do you think I know how to be a parent any more than you do? We'll learn and learn together," she reached up to run her fingers through his hair, but he pulled away from her hand.

"Except you have your parents to follow as an example. I don't. I have –" Ginny heard him take a breath and saw an angry, frustrated tear roll silently down his cheek.

"I don't want to be like my uncle."

Something deep inside Ginny broke and tears sprang up quickly and furiously. And with them they brought up an anger she thought she had long since buried. Not only anger but hatred for the Dursleys because what they had done to the most loving, caring man she had met and probably to have ever walked the earth.

But she'd deal with her feelings later. Right now she had to deal with her husband and how to tell him how wrong he was.

As a few tears broke free, Ginny lifted herself up slightly and pulled Harry's face towards her until their lips met. She kissed him as fiercely as she could; pouring all the love that he had shown her in the years that they had known each other into it. Hopefully it might make him believe that it was pure insanity that he could ever be like those… those…

When she pulled back, they were both panting slightly. Harry looked up at her, slightly confused and he saw the tear tracks. As he reached up to wipe them away, she started to speak.

"Harry, you could never, ever be like them. They selfish creatures and hated you. I don't even think you know how to be selfish – not really – and you do love our child, don't you?" she grabbed his hand and held it to her stomach.

Harry's eyes widened at the implications of her statement, "Of course do, Ginny, I –"

But Ginny broke into a wide smile, telling him that she never had any doubt in him, "See. You're going to be a great father just for that, and the fact that you are concerned. And, anyway, did you think I'd let anyone treat my children like that? Really?"

Harry laughed lowly at his wife incredulous face, "No, no you wouldn't. You're too much your mother's daughter," he sighed, bringing a hand up to cup her face, "Thank you, my love."

Ginny smiled and leaned into his touch, "I love you, Harry."

"I love you, Ginny."

Before they settled down to go back to sleep, Harry kiss her one last time, long and slow. When he pulled away she could see he was quickly getting tired, his worried eased. So she curled into his side, resting her head on his chest – his arms tightening around her waist – and waited for him to drop off.

She didn't have to wait long. Within minutes, he was quietly snoring away. She herself was ready to be lulled to sleep when she saw a faint, pale blue light at the furthest corner of her vision. Turning her head as slowly as she could, not to wake Harry – the lightest sleeper she had ever met –, and saw two people standing there. Well, sort of.

They were standing in front of the armoire and Ginny could see it through them. Ghosts.

"Thank you. You are so good for him," the female apparition said, tears falling down her face. Her hair was long and a pale red, with almond shaped eyes.

"I'm proud that he found you," her male companion said. He was tall and his hair looked like he had just gotten out of bed.

Ginny smiled sadly, tears welling up in her eyes. An idea came to her and it felt so incredibly right, she knew it wasn't going to go away. But she wanted permission.

So she whispered as quietly as she could through her tears, "I want to name them after you."

This caused the elder Mrs. Potter to let out a small sound and sob even harder. Her husband pulled her into his embrace and smiled softly at his daughter-in-law, "We'd like that very much."

And with that they faded out of the bedroom. In the darkness, Ginny snuggled closer to her husband, and laid a hand on her stomach.

"Goodnight, my little James or Lily."

* * *

><p><strong>*sigh* I figured that since abuse is a cycle in alot of cases, it would be a fear - only a fear - that Harry would have to overcome. That was the inital premise of my idea. Then James and Lily just had to make an apperance. <strong>

**Lily: Of course we did. It's our first grandchild. **

**James: Damn straight.**

**Me&Lily: James...**

**James: Hey at least I didn't bring along Sirius.**

**Me(quickly): Yeah, anyway. I hope you guys liked it and will review. FEEL FREE TO MAKE SUGGESTIONS! There is alot of time to fill. I'm working on one (the propsal) but that's going to take FOREVER because I want to get it just right and... inspiration for that is steady trickling stream...**


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